


Once More, with Feeling

by thealphagate_archivist



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-03-23
Updated: 2006-03-23
Packaged: 2019-02-02 08:00:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12722703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thealphagate_archivist/pseuds/thealphagate_archivist
Summary: Grouchy old men get a second chance.





	Once More, with Feeling

**Author's Note:**

> Note from the archivists: this story was originally archived at [The Alpha Gate](https://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Alpha_Gate), a Stargate SG-1 archive, which began migration to the AO3 in 2017 when its hosting software, eFiction, was no longer receiving support. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in November 2017. We e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are this creator and it hasn't transferred to your AO3 account, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Alpha Gate collection profile](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/thealphagate).

  
Author's notes: Warnings: None - despite the opening paragraphs, except I seem to be experiencing another bout of extreme sappiness.  


* * *

Shit, but it was a pointless way to die.

Jack looked over at the infirmary bed and his sleeping lover. They'd been through hell together, at least twice, and had come out stronger, more sure than ever that this was it for them. The big one. True love. It stayed that way. All that sappy mush, that despite the number of years, Daniel had never been able to wheedle out of him.

And Daniel's death - it was all going to be Jack's fault.

Daniel had waltzed off one Saturday afternoon, leaving Jack to watch his hockey game in blissful undisturbed peace. He'd taken a fancy to a particular Chinese supermarket, and Jack had no qualms about the crate of Xing Tao that Daniel had promised to bring back for him. Which was why, of course, it was all Jack's fault.

Daniel had gone to pull the box off the shelf. For some reason known only to the management, crates of this beer were stored at head height, and Daniel, being a stubborn son of a gun, had refused the help of the friendly assistant. Actually, from what Jack had later heard, Daniel had become fairly abusive about the fact that he didn't need anyone's goddamn help. In Mandarin AND Cantonese. And in some language that apparently no one could understand. Jack couldn't help but chuckle slightly, even as he reached down to fuss at what little hair he could reach; what little hair poked out from under the bandage.

It probably would have gone alright if Daniel hadn't hit the guy with his cane. Daniel wasn't a damn invalid, no way. The guy had backed off, and Daniel, in a full-blown snit, had reached up for the crate once more. The crate that was now balanced rather precariously, enough so that it slithered out of his grasp, thudded onto his skull, and then careened both itself and Daniel against the over-laden shopping basket. The basket which, against all the odds, seemed to actually pick up speed as it flew towards the artistic display of vegetables. Tinned vegetables. Tinned vegetables that the assistant had been standing beside.

The tin pyramid collapsed, just in time for Daniel and the basket to land squarely on them. It also gave the shop assistant just enough time to jump back, and put out a hand to steady himself. Put out a hand to steady himself on a shelf which up until now had been quite happy to take the weight of the heaving bags of rice. The assistant was the straw that broke this particular camel's back. And Danny's. In Jack's mind, the sacks of rice fell and split, a little white Niagara into the isle, burying Daniel, confetti-style.

Beer.

He always thought that it'd be Daniel's downfall. But he'd never meant it quite so literally. Daniel would love the irony of it.

The giggle bubbled up again, causing Jack to wonder, not for the first time, if he were not going maybe just slightly senile.

And Daniel was dying, yet again. His back broken, his skull fractured, and god-knows what else finally catching up with him. What was it, maybe the fiftieth time? He'd lost count. Whatever it was, it was still a frickin' waste.

Jack had to sit, pulled the chair over but kept his hand in Daniel's hair. Actually, it was a bit of a shock to him that Daniel still had any hair left. Especially after what the future Cassie had once told him. Hey, but what did she know? Jack would always think that Daniel's hair was lovely. Even if it did now start maybe a bit further back from his forehead than it used to. Okay, a lot further back. He'd had a long time to work on that distinguished look, after all.

He heard an impatient tutting noise from behind him.

"Mr O'Neill. You shouldn't be up."

He rounded on the woman. "That's general to you, missy." He was allowed to say missy, now that he was getting practically venerable. Even if he had been retired for the best part of thirty years.

"General, Sir."

"Better." He nodded approvingly, his attention at once wandering back to the man on the bed.

He wondered idly if he could get hold of the video footage from the supermarket. Where was Carter when you needed her?

A cough from the bed brought him to the here and now.

"Jack."

"Danny." He kept his voice deceptively calm, aware of the nurse fussing around them both.

"Go back to bed, Jack."

"I've had enough of bed."

"Oh really? Finally?"

Jack could see the bemused expression start to form on Daniel's face.

"Only took you forty damn years, O'Neill. Ouch." Daniel coughed again, which had the nurse practically holding him down while she held the straw and beaker to his lips. Coincidentally, it partly obscured Jack's view of Daniel, which wouldn't do at all.

"Piss off, missy."

"Really, sir."

"Can't you see that me and my young man here are trying to have a serious discussion?"

He practically waggled his wrinkled chops at the woman in the vague hope that it would get her to back off faster. It did, but more because she was worried for her sanity.

"Heh. That's better."

The nurse closed the door behind her as she left.

"You're incorrigible."

"You love it."

They paused. Jack tapped at the bedspread.

"So. No sarcophagus, then."

"No."

"You sure?"

"Sure I'm sure."

"No symbiote."

"Bastard. You know..."

"I'll take that as a no."

"One thing left then."

"Guess so."

"Cos you're not dying on me now." Jack jabbed a finger towards Daniel, careful to not actually touch him.

"As if I'd dare."

Jack pondered this for a moment. "Never stopped you from trying before," he complained.

The sigh from the bed got Jack real worried, real fast, until he realised that it was just Daniel, relaxing into the argument, enjoying the shit out of being alive. Still.

"Time to go, Jack?"

"Well. I guess. Can't say I'm looking forward to it, mind, but they say it'll be okay."

"Gotta trust them, Jack."

"I do?" He frowned. "Hey, you sure that crate didn't knock some sense into your noggin?"

Daniel smiled, lifted his hand from the bedspread and placed it on Jack's free arm. "Trust them. It'll be okay. Anyway, you did get to retire to the cabin."

"I did, didn't I." Jack beamed. He'd had nigh on fifteen years at the cabin, until they'd had to wheel him out of there one night, when his knees finally, finally gave up the ghost. And the doctor never did manage to wheedle out of him exactly what he'd been doing on the floor in the first place.

"You even got to be an unholy terror to Cassie's grand-kids, so you can't say that you've had a bad run."

"True, true."

"So."

"So."

"All packed."

Jack shrugged.

"Figured we could scare the natives a bit. Run around naked."

"Before or after the change?"

"Oh, before, definitely."

Daniel sighed again.

"They did a good job with Jack junior, though, didn't they."

"Sure did. They may even get it right this time."

Jack could see Daniel thinking, and let him take a good long run up at it.

"Jack?"

"Yes, Daniel?"

"This new body they're gonna give you. Give us."

"Yeah?"

"Do you think that they might make you a bit less of a mother hen this time?"

Jack's grip on Daniel tightened, the hand that was in his hair now scooting down to the pocket of his robe.

"Bastard," he said. "I love you."

Daniel grinned at him, his most open, honest face, as Jack removed the Asgard device, and placed it between their two palms.

"Once more, then?"

"Once more."

They pressed. The light flared, and left the room empty, monitors starting to wail as staff began to run for the room.

~END~


End file.
